There’s nothing like a massive sinkhole opening up and swallowing eight prized sports cars at the National Corvette Museum to increase ticket sales. Attendance at the Bowling Green attraction is up by as much as 70 percent during some recent months compared to a year ago.

And, there’s nothing like a ruling by the Kentucky Supreme Court on issues even remotely related to smoking bans to stir the passions of a commonwealth raised on tobacco.

In the summer months, scammers take advantage of the good weather to stalk neighborhoods. Going door-to-door with different scams to steal personal information and money.

Some sales people may be trustworthy, working for legitimate companies or are “one-man-bands” selling their services for honest summer maintenance work. But there are also scammers out there “posing” as these honest sales people.

Headed on a summer vacation? Whether to the beach, on a cruise, or something closer to home, the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) encourages travelers to use caution when making plans, booking hotels, and navigating unfamiliar destinations. Taking the right precautions ahead of time could save you time and money!

BBB warns there are many potential scams during the vacation planning process and the trip itself.

It is sometimes hard to communicate the importance of one thing without discounting the importance of another thing.

For that reason, I am going to state right up front what I want you to understand when you finish this column (call it a learning target): Increasing the percentage of Bullitt County citizens who have a bachelor’s degree is important AND pursuing a bachelor’s degree is not the only way to be successful, smart, or happy.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner! If you are ordering flowers, beware of petal pushers! Unscrupulous florists will place fake listings in local phone directories, and when you call you are unknowingly forwarded to an out-of-town telemarketing company. The telemarketer takes your credit card information and forwards your order to an area florist. The telemarketer takes a processing fee, and a percentage of the total order. Later, you realize you were charged more than you had planned, and the flowers are not as ordered – if delivered at all!

Check out the latest scams and bad business in BBB’s April 2014 Hot Topics!

1. BBB is receiving calls about Free Government Grants! Scammers offer government money because a person pays bills on time, is a good citizen, or was picked in a random drawing. To receive the grant, the person must send fees via prepaid card or a wire transfer. There is no grant!

In one sense, it seems like school just began yesterday, but in another way, it feels as if it has gone on a very long time. Rather than waiting for the end of the year to recap, since so much has happened, this month I’ll devote to a little review.